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Rod Broke!!! Need Medical Advice

Hi, I would like to stay anonymous, but I need advice. I had my surgery last year and my rod broke in half only after one year. I never did any lifting. I am a non-smoker. And I wore my brace as long as I should have. Is it normal for it to break?

Sounds like you did everything right, which is great. I don't think it is "normal" for rods to just break for no reason. From what others have said, they ususally break when there is a spot that didn't fuse completely. Have you had any x-rays that show any part that didn't fuse? Are you currently under the care of an ortho. doctor? Is it causing you pain? Has your back started to curve again?

Sorry for all the questions, but it might be more helpful for others to answer if they have all your information.

I have had an x-ray but my doctor still hasn't responded back. Also another thing is that my bar was a titanium bar (is there a lot of cases where doctors use titanium and it breaks?) and from what I have heard with other scoliosis cases the doctor usually uses two rods where as my situation the doctor only used one. there is a lot of pain, and my back is starting to curve. How can I find out if it wasnt fused properly? if any doctor or anyone can respond to this please do so. anything will help.

I also have a broken rod It broke after seven years of surgery while I put on my pants standing up in an abrupt way I have just had nuclear testing done and will get my results in May. I have two Harrington rods and had the surgery in '97, when I was 26, I'm now 34. I have read that Harrington rods are not used as much, that's weird As for the fusion part, well my doctor told me that he didn't fuse all of it or else I wouldn't be moving at all. My rod broke a year ago, and I immediately had X rays done at the time but everything looked good. Now it shows that it is broken and am waiting to see if the fusion is broken too. I don't know what else to tell you but to have a tomogram done, to see how bad the breakage is. I'm also a non smoker and didn't know it could break so easily

You should get a second opinion. If you let us know your geographic area, someone can probably give you a recommendation.

Titanium is more brittle than stainless steel, so is slightly more likely to break.

I don't know if you're asking questions because you're considering suing your surgeon, but even if you do find that your surgeon made a mistake, I think you'll find it very difficult to successfully sue. A friend of mine had her original scoliosis surgery done by a real hack. Her case should have been cut and dry, but she couldn't find any doctor to act as an expert witness, and her lawyer wouldn't proceed without one.

Do you want to get help to get yourself out of pain? If so, please post your geographic area. You don't have to tell us who your surgeon was, and I don't think it will be enough for any of us to guess who your surgeon was.